The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Satellite television has become increasingly popular due to the wide variety of content and the quality of content available. A satellite television system typically includes a set top box that is used to receive the satellite signals and decode the satellite signals for use on a television. The set top box typically has a memory associated therewith. The memory may include a digital video recorder or the like as well as the operating code for the set top box.
Satellite television systems typically broadcast content to a number of users simultaneously in a system. Customers may be billed a monthly subscription fee for access to a channel or group of channels, or a pay-per-view fee for access to individual programs. Access is provided using signals broadcast over the satellite. Once access is provided the user can access the particular content. The broadcasting of a large selection of channels and pay-per-view programs uses a considerable amount of satellite resource.
Content providers are increasingly trying to determine additional ways to provide content to users. Some content may be desired by a small number of customers. In such a case using valuable satellite resources may not be cost-effective.
Additionally, to reduce piracy, broadcast and/or delivery systems and media players require methods to ensure secure authorization, secure content delivery and secure content storage.